Tool



L; EOLLOCK Aug. 29, 1944.

v TOOL Filed July 18. 1942 LEO POL4 ocn Patented Aug. 29, 1944 OFFICE TOOL Leo Pollock, New York, N. Y. Application July 18, 1942, ScrialNo. 451,393

2 Claims. (01. 81-51) This invention relates to a tool for removing toilet paper roll holders.

The primary object of my'invention is to provide a tool of the character described which will facilitate the removal of such holders.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tool of the character described which can be attached to such holders after they have been positioned in fixtures, and which can be left attached to the holders during continued use thereof.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a tool of the character described which after attachment to a holder will maintain an inconspicuous position and will not interfere with rotation of the toilet paper roll.

Still another object of my invention is to provide, a tool of the character described which comprises relatively few and simple parts, and which is easy to construct, economical to manufacture, and simple to use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments ofthis invention and wherein like numbers refer to like parts,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tool embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of a bathroom fixture -with a roll holder, toilet paper roll, and tool positioned therein;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2 and shows how the tool is maintained in an inconspicuous position during use of the paper roll;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but in partial section, and shows the first step in using the tool to remove the roll holder and paper roll;

Fig. -5 is a horizontal section through the bathroom fixture, and shows th next step in the use of the tool;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the forward end of the tool; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially alone the line 'l'! in Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawing, I have there shown a bathroom, roll holding fixture ID of a type commonly employed in the home. Said sions.

fixture comprises a ceramic receptacle whose front face is adapted to lie on the surface of the bathroom wall. The central portion of the fixture is deeply indented to provide a toilet paper roll receiving recess 12 formed by a substantially semi-circular wall l4 and two side walls It and I8 of ceramic material. Each side Wall l6, It has a spcket 20, 22 formed therein and said walls are thickened around the sockets for reinforcement, Said sockets 20, 22 are disposed inalignment and substantially co-axially of the arcuate wall M. ,The portions of the wall I4 lying forwardly of the vertical plane passing through the sockets 20, 22 may comprise curved continuations of the said arcuate wall or may, as shown, merely be straight horizontal tangential continuations 23 of said arcuate wall.

A toilet paper roll holder 24 is disposed in the receptacle H]. Said roll holder 24 comprises a cylindrical body 26 of smaller diameter than the central cardboard tube 28 of a roll 30 of toilet paper. Stub shafts 32 and 34, which are in axial alignment with each other and with the cylindrical body 26 of the roll holder, extend from opposite ends of said body. These stub shafts 32, 34 are so relatively disposed and are of such size that they are adapted tobe received in the sockets 20, 22. The construction of the roll holder 24, moreover, is such that the two stub shafts 32, 34 are resiliently urged apart when in a fixture I0 so that said roll holder will be able to fit ceramic fixturesof slightly different dimen- This variation arises both from the failure to standardize fixtures of this type and from the Well known tendency of ceramic fixtures to warp during baking.

By way of illustration only, and without limiting the application of my'invention to this form, the toilet roll holder 24 may be constructed as follows:

The cylindrical body 26 comprises two rollers 36 and 38. The stub shaft 34 extends from an end of one roller 36. A longer shaft 40 extends from the other end of th same roller 36 and is slidably received in a deep axial well 42 in the other roller 38. A pin 44 diametrically disposed in theroller 38 transects thewell 42 and is slidably received in a slot 46 in the shaft 40. Due to this construction the roller 38 can slide along shaft 40 towards and away from the roller 36. The limits of thi to and fro motion are defined by abutment of the pin 44 against opposite ends of the slot 46. A spring 48 maintained under compression between the bottom of thewell 42 and the free end of the shaft 40 biases the roller 38 to its extreme position away from the roller 36. The other stub shaft 32 extends away from the closed end of the roller 38.

It will be seen that when the roll holder 24 is employed in the fixture ID, the ends of the cylindrical body 26 will be pressed against the ceramic side walls [6, l8, and that it i difficult after the supply of paper has been exhausted, to cause the two stub shafts 32, 34 to move towards each other against the action of the spring 48 when it is desired to release the toilet roll holder. The operation of forcing said stub shafts towards each other is also made difficult by the presence of the central cardboard tube 28 which covers practically the full length of the toilet roll holder 24 and renders the ends of the cylindrical body 26 relatively manually inaccessible.

In accordance with my invention, I have provided a tool 50 for facilitatin removal of said holder 24. Said tool comprises a formed bight 52 of spring steel wire connected; by substantially parallel legs 54 to the bases56 ofhandle portions 58; Said handle portions converge towards each other and cross over at 60 at an oblique angle. On the opposite side of the cross over 60 the two forward ends of the handle portions have integrally attached thereto semicircular loop forming portions 62. whose cuneiform tips 554 are reversely curved. The, bases of the tip 64 are normally in, abutment and are resiliently urged into this position by the handle and. bight of the tool.

To use the tool for removing a roll holder 24, the forward endof the tool, comprising the flared tips 64; is introduced between the exposed end of one ofthe rollers 36, 38 and the adjacent side wall I6, l-B. Due to the cuneiform profile of said tips, the introduction thereof between these members can be performed with relative ease. The flared tips 64 can now be urged against the stub shaft'to cam the two loop portions 62 apart. This camming action continues until the bases of the tips are spread apart a distance equal to the diameter of the stub shaft. As the tool i pushed further-inwardly, the loop portions 62 will resiliently embrace said shaft. If it, is now desired to remove the roll holder 24, the tool is urged axially of said roll holder to compress the spring 48. Next the tool, is pulled away from the fixture l whereby to pivot th roll holder about the stub shaft still: remaining in a socket. After the stub shaft which the tool embraces has cleared the adjacent side wall l6, l8, the roll holder may be wholly withdrawn from the fixture,

A feature ofthe invention is the provision of grooves-66 (Fig. '7) topermi't the two handle portions 58 to cross over without appreciably increasing the thickness of the tool; This lessens pressure-at the cross-over 'allwhen the tool is left in position. The edges of the grooves may be slightly rounded off, as indicated in Fig. '7, to facilitate easy initial separation of the loop forming portions 62.

Another feature of the invention resides in that the handle member 58 is provided with obliqueterminals 68 immediatelybefore the cross-, over 66. Due to the sharp incline of these terminals, pressure of a stub shaft thereon will not cause'the loop forming portions 62 to spread and they thus. serve as an effective stop to limit the insertion of the tool 50.

As has been previously indicated, it may be desirable-to leave the tool' 50 on a stub shaft during use of the roll 30. However; when this is done, there is a tendency for the tool torotate when the supply of toilet paper is turned in a certain direction (counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3).

In accordance with my invention, I have overcome this difiiculty by providing mean on the tool to frictionally but lightly engage the fixture ll]. Said means comprises the handle bases 56. The distance from the cross-over point 60 to said bases is slightly greater than the distance from a socket 20, 22 to the lower lip 10 of the recess in the bathroom fixture. In addition, said base portions are so formed that they will be slightly angularly inclined relative to'the part of the fixture I!) that they overlie when the tool 50 is in position. By virtue of this construction a base portion 56 can be wedged against the part 23 of the curved wall [4 immediately behind the lip H! of the bathroom fixture. The bowing of the handle portion 58, and deformation of the base portion 56 after wedging is exaggerated in Fig. 3. After it is wedged, the tool will remain in the position indicated in Fig; 3 until it is manipulated to remove the roll holder 24.

A further feature of the invention is the fiattening or thinning of the wire loop forming members from the tips 64 at least to the cross-over B0 and preferably through the oblique terminals 68 in order to prevent binding of the roll holder 24.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the severa1 objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might bemade in the embodiment above set forth, it is' tobe understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting Sense;

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure. by Letters Patent:

1. IA toilet paper roll holder remover made from resilient wire and comprising a pair of arcuate opposed portions the rear ends of which cross over each other at an oblique angle and are integrally connected to: the, close ends. of diverging handle portions whose opposite remote ends are 2. A toilet paper roll holder remover made from resilient wire and comprising a pair of arcuate opposed portions therear ends of which cross over eachother and are integrally connected to-the close ends of diverging handle portions whose opposite remote ends are integrally connected through a pair of outwardly convex converging portions to-a bight which is so. constructed as to urge said arcuate portions together to forma loop,

'theforward. endsof. said arcuate portions being in abutment when said loop is closed and having reversely curved tips which are tapered. toward the plane of said loop, said arcuate portions being thinner than said straight members and at least one'thereof having. an indentation at the point of cross-over.

LEO POLLOCK. I 

